Health

With World Diabetes Day on November 14, Bass Coast Health (BCH) now has an expanded team of Credentialled Diabetes Educators (CDE).

CDE Upmajit Kaur recently joined the team that already included Claire Gatto, Vivienne Prestidge and Roger Lindenmayer. Upmajit is a Registered Nurse - Credentialled Diabetes Educator and comes to BCH with experience working in emergency department, medical, surgical and COVID wards.

Claire Gatto said the Diabetes Educators provide education and support to people with diabetes about how to live their lives to the fullest while self-managing their diabetes.

"While diabetes can pose health risks, our aim is to provide the latest in advice and technological aids to ensure our consumers are able to manage well and enjoy their lives with the minimum of restrictions," she said.

"Our approach reflects the theme of World Diabetes Day - 'Diabetes and Wellbeing' - which advocates for access to diabetes care that also supports wellbeing and quality of life. The daily challenges of managing diabetes impact physical and mental wellbeing, so the purpose of the day's theme is to put wellbeing at the heart of diabetes care."

BCH's service offers support for a range of diabetes and pre-diabetes related conditions. These include: 

* Management of type 1, type 2, gestational diabetes and pre-diabetes
* Lifestyle changes
* Blood glucose monitoring and interpretation of blood glucose levels in relation to food, physical activity and medication
* Management of unstable blood glucose levels
* Changes in medications and/or beginning insulin or other injectable diabetes medications 
* Use of new glucose monitoring technologies
* Prevention and management of diabetes complications
* Sick day management advice
* Travel advice.

Each team member has to renew their credentialling annually with the Australian Diabetes Educators Association, enabling them to provide quality-assured diabetes care, education and self-management support.

The service accepts referrals from general practitioners and other health care professionals. Self-referrals are also accepted. The service involves a small fee. This will be discussed with you when when the referral coordinator contacts you by phone to obtain your details to admit you to the service.

The service is available at:

* Wonthaggi Hospital from Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm. Phone 5671 3290.
* Phillip Island Health Hub, Monday to Thursday and alternate Wednesdays and Fridays, from 9am to 5pm. Phone 5951 2100.

World Diabetes Day is the world's largest diabetes awareness campaign, held annually on November 14, the birth date of Sir Frederick Banting who, together with his colleague Dr Charles Best, discovered insulin in 1922.

Insulin is a hormone made by the body to keep one's blood glucose levels within the normal range.

With type 1 diabetes, the body does not make insulin and therefore insulin has to be injected every day to stay alive.

With type 2 diabetes, the insulin does not work as well as it should and, over time, the insulin production decreases. Insulin injections are sometimes needed to manage blood glucose levels.

For more information about BCH's diabetes service, go to: basscoasthealth.org.au/diabetes